Red Axe, Black Sun

The Valkyrie

CHAPTER FOUR

THE VALKYRIE

The room where Skadi found herself in was dark, the small window not letting in enough of the fleeting daylight. What little light found its way through was absorbed by the two figures standing opposite of her. That’s why the room had to be lit by a candleholder over the bed, made of a ring of horns with candles like a crown. Besides that, there was only space for a table with some stools. Skadi stood with her feet naked on fur. She had made sure that the two men, now stripped to the waist, were who they claimed to be and studied them for a while. Two men from the north, with long braided hair and rugged beards. Their eyes were red from excessive use of smoking swampweed the previous night. The floor was sticky from the last drops of mead, where their empty drinking horns had landed.

“You want to know what gave that mead this smoky, meaty flavor?” Gorm War-Anvil asked her.

“I’m not sure I want to know that,” Sifnar Red-Shoal said. 

“I’ll tell you anyway. They used to hang game carcasses in their caves to cure. Now, there were bees which nested in those carcasses and brought the honey there. That’s how it took on the flavor. You know, sometimes, the sweetest secrets lie hidden inside the most hideous shells. And sometimes, the most dark conspiracies lie covered in the sweetest packages. Like in your case, little girl. Now tell us, what have you brought us, diligent honey bee?” 

“You know you can trust us now. It’s time to show us what you got,” Sifnar Red-Shoal demanded.

At first, Skadi wondered if it was a trick? They had already seen her body on numerous occasions during the last hours they had spent in the room. Apparently, they hadn’t kept everything in mind.

“Don’t be shy and show us,” Gorm War-Anvil said. “I know you can't see it yourself, but this is crucial. What you are carrying is larger than your own life. Like the little bee that carries the blossom dust, not knowing what it will accomplish eventually. You must understand, the sole purpose of your existence has become this. Why? Because it’s destiny. The little bee would never be attracted by the hanging carcass and yet is still drawn to it. Why is that, you have to ask yourself? Because you are part of a bigger plan. Carrying something you earned so hard and paid the price for, you venture into the cave you would never have gone to before, if that hadn’t happened to you. You engage with the carcasses, even though your instinct tells you you should keep your distance. But you plant your seed and bring the honey to the cave nonetheless, where the men waiting in the dark harvest that sweet gift of yours. They say revenge is the sweetest thing.”

She swallowed and nodded at the conclusion. Her own personality as an individual didn't matter anymore. She had to fight with the feeling that she had been reduced, but at the same time elevated, to one function only: to protect and carry her body through the lands and show it to the barbarians that were willing to commit to her cause. A cause she hadn't chosen voluntarily and was still undecided about whether to admire or condemn. Skadi faltered but then slowly turned her back to them and let her clothes slide down her skin.

The men instantly came closer and surveyed the tattoos on her back, as she combed her hair over her shoulders. The throat of an ink dragon reached from her neck down to her shoulder blades, where it turned into a scaled torso that was clutching the world in its wings, talons and tail. The end of the tail was spiked and ended over her thigh. Along the ancient creature, names were written in runes along with depictions of faces.